The invention relates to printing machines of the type comprised of a cyclically moving printing member, and particularly to lithograph machines of the type comprised of a rotating printing drum carrying a lithographic printing form, and inking means for inking the printing surface. Such machines are operative for printing page-wise, paragraph-wise or linewise onto tickets, cards, or other items to be printed. Conventionally, such machines are provided with synchronizing means for establishing a synchronization between the movement of a counterpressure member into operative position and the aforementioned cyclical movement of the printing member. In its operative position, the counterpressure member presses towards the inked surface, so as to press an item to be printed against the inked printing surface.
When printing off of lithographic printing forms onto cards, labels, and the like, it can happen that the item to be printed is not fed into the printing machine, for example as a result of malfunction of the feeding arrangement. If this occurs, the counterpressure member may be pressed into contact against the inked printing surface of the printing form and become covered with ink. As a result, when an item to be printed is subsequently fed into the printing machine, the ink image on the counter-pressure member undesirably will be transferred onto the back side of the item to be printed.